What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Ecosport

Due to a lack of available parts for this recall, the vehicle repairs will take up to 30 plus days before the parts arrive. On top of that, there is a waiting list for the vehicles that need to be fixed. This means, I will be without a vehicle for a lengthy amount of time. They don’t have enough loaners vehicles and I cannot afford to purchase a new car at this time. This recall issue has caused people lots of unneeded stress, maintenance cost, and loss of wages. Ford needs to be held accountable on this issues. Additionally, I took the vehicle to a Ford Dealership (LaFayette Ford) on/about the 2 of May 2025. There were two recalls on the vehicle at that time. The fixed one recall. They informed that, there was nothing they could do with recall 23S64 until the vehicle was having issues. They did not inform me nor give me the option to get the issues corrected at the time or be placed on a waiting list once the parts were available. I would have placed the vehicle on the waiting to have the recall repaired once parts were available and to avoid the current situation that we are experiencing. On the 30th of January 2026, the vehicle stopped on me after displaying low engine pressure despite having oil. There were no oil leaks detected, the oil cap was seated properly, and the oil stick had/has the adequate amount of oil. The vehicle will not start, make a funny noise, and the engine vibrates the entire cab of the vehicle. The video I attached displays the sound the vehicle makes now. The vehicle ran smoothly until the 30th of January 2026.

NHTSA ODI 11715047

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, the oil pump drive tensioner belt had failed and was replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). After the repairs were performed, the failure reoccurred, and the contact was informed that the part needed to be replaced another time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

NHTSA ODI 11715066

The airbag service light was on prior to purchase. It wasn’t acknowledged by the dealership. When I asked about it he said “it’s because the car was sitting in the cold”. I took the car in to get looked at at a Ford dealership and they said my airbags are inoperable. My safety is at risk.

NHTSA ODI 11713900

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact heard an abnormally tapping sound coming from the engine compartment, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and under the hood. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the oil drive belt tensioner arm had failed and caused the engine to seize. The dealer informed the contact that the engine and oil pump needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and had been placed on a waiting list by another dealer for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that the engine and oil pump for the year and the model vehicle were on back order. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710698

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11706719

I bought a new 2021 Ford ecosport with several recalls. I've reported previous one on the recall list. However the following two are not on recall list. First, the back up camera is malfunctioning. It turns black when reversing. Secondly, within a week of purchasing brand new the vehicle had loose rail covering on top of vehicle. Not sure of the proper name. It fell off on highway SH 99. I had to pull over on shoulder lane and pickup the long black strip or rail from road. Only one strip malfunctioned. It could have caused an accident and hit car behind me as length of strip was one car size. I did not know what to do as I've never own a recall vehicle ever. The only thing I did was tell multiple dealerships nearby and ask for advice. They instructed me the cost to replace and that was it.

NHTSA ODI 11706390

The engine died in an unexpected earlier timeframe than recall notice. I had to get vehicle towed at my expense as no offers existed for recalls yet to the nearest Ford. This means it sat longer with a dead engine and battery not in use. The battery was brand new before the engine died. After Ford installed a new engine I picked up my vehicle. I now had a new problem. The battery light came on. It was late when I picked up my car and the dealership was closing. I notified Ford c/s the next day and they approved to take it back to ANY dealership. There are several Ford dealerships near my home. My 2nd option was Bill Fick Ford. In short I told them my story listed above + recall final engine repair due. Initially there was a female that approved towing and said Ford would help me with towing cost up to $250. The tow truck driver never showed up. I called the tow truck driver the next day and he said he is willing to pickup but will call Ford to confirm. I called Bill Fick Ford several more times for updates. Apparently there was a male there that disapproved. I had called another Ford dealership nearby prior when battery was working asking for help but denied. I am having trouble getting the repairs at any Fords nearby in a timely manner. This April 2026 will be two years since I haven't been able to use this vehicle. Bill Fick Ford told me that I would have to pay for the tow cost. Initially I wasn't going to report but I think it's best to address in case there are others who are having difficulties related to recalls to improve flow. Another dealership is willing to help me. The only issue is is that I will have to pay the remaining balance over $250. This will be 2nd time I pay out of pocket for towing. The difference between Bill Fick Ford and the out of town dealership is the out of town dealership called Ford to confirm approval of tow/repairs and Bill Fick Ford refused to look further and gather the correct info adding more out of pocket cost/delays.

NHTSA ODI 11706233

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that the engine seized while driving at an undisclosed speed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer after several months, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). Upon retrieval of the vehicle, the battery light started flickering. The contact called another dealer, Gullo Ford of Conroe (925 Interstate 45 S #2, Conroe, TX 77301), but no further assistance was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

NHTSA ODI 11706135

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera image was blue. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving forward, the rearview camera image erroneously displayed intermittently. The local dealer was notified of the failures and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V442000(Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure described in the recall. Additionally, the contact stated that the warning message "Front Drive Shaft" was displayed while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11705313

Oil light and check engine light came on and notification for poor oil pressure out of nowhere. Car started making weird sounds and acceleration was poor. One minute the car was fine and the next I had to tow it to the dealership to get it looked at. Over 2 months now and the issue isn’t resolved as the dealership hasn’t received the parts that they need to repair it.

NHTSA ODI 11704267

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 5MPH while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, parts were not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA ODI 11702286

23S64-Engine Oil Pump RECALL 8/19/2025 driving from Hillsboro Beach, Florida to St. Petersburg, Florida. We had a full engine seizure, we lost oil pressure, and also lost use of the transmission. We overheated and the engine seized. With a loss of power, we had to guide the car off the road. The engine was smoking heavily. The back of the car was completely covered with motor oil. The Florida Highway Patrol called us a tow truck that took us to DeSoto Ford, 3039 Southeast Highway 70, Arcadia, Florida, 34266, 863-494-4848. DeSoto Ford ended up doing multiple repairs on the car. They did the replacement of the 23S64 recall for the oil pump belt and tensioner. The car was there for 24 days. We drove down on 9/12/25 and picked up the car. When they pulled the car out, the car was still covered in oil in the back. We found out within days that they neglected to fix the radiator. Once we got into the car and started driving, we had yet another very loud noise, forcing us to bring it to AutoNation, St. Pete, Florida. At AutoNation, we had a multitude of problems with it. We had severe vibration with the car when we brought it there 9/18/25. This was only a few days later. They changed out the radiator and replacing the full radiator because they said there was a full leak that was not fixed by DeSoto. They fixed the car and gave it back to us 9/30/25. On 10/22/25, I had the exact same experience with the car that we originally had on the highway in Arcadia. The engine fully seized in the intersection of 3rd Street South and 6th Ave south in St Petersburg just as it had done before. The car overheated and had full loss of power/motive power. I was able to restart it briefly to get out of the cross section. The car stalled two more times before I was able to bring it to a safe place. We ended up having it towed from 15th Ave S at 3rd Street S and brought to AutoNation. Vehicle broke down again 11/7 and has been in shop ever since. Much more details available.

NHTSA ODI 11700755

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving 30-40 MPH, the messages "Save the Battery", "Turn off Engine", and "Restart" were displayed. The program restarted, and the screen went blank, and the instrument cluster became inoperable. Additionally, the contact was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V126000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer again, where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator, engine, transmission, and computer needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage for the failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11700154

This is the third time the engine has broken down, twice in two months now

NHTSA ODI 11698077

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Charge System Fault" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle almost stalled, and the vehicle was running rough. The contact was aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the oil pump had failed and damaged the engine. The contact was informed that several parts needed to complete the repair were on a national back order. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,971.

NHTSA ODI 11697997

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired because parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11697556

Rubber Door Sealant issues

NHTSA ODI 11696509

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 50 MPH. The vehicle was shaking abnormally. The phone App alerted the contact that there was a powertrain malfunction and reduced power. The "Service Engine Soon" message was displayed. The oil and maintenance warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer previously, where it was diagnosed with engine and powertrain failures. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11696060

The infotainment system, shows ford logo, and back up camera but radio will no longer pop up. The back up camera stays displayed at times. This recall aligns with the recall through NHTSA # 25V442 and fords recall number of 25S72. My vin was not included but is experiencing the same issue as stated in the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11694698

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 25V126000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that parts to repair the vehicle could not able to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V126000 (Power Train) until January 2026. The dealer was not able to provide a date for the repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11693272

I scheduled a recall repair appointment at Metro Ford, Miami (9000 N W 7th Ave) for my 2021 Ford EcoSport, recall 23S64/25S12. However, the service department verbally refused to perform the recall, stating that “the part must fail first” and that it was a manufacturer issue. My wife was told this directly at the service desk. This recall involves critical components that could cause engine failure or power loss, and the refusal to repair violates federal safety requirements under 49 U.S. Code §30120. I am reporting this refusal and requesting NHTSA to review and ensure compliance.

NHTSA ODI 11692650

Myself, my husband and our son were driving on the freeway going 70 mph and all of a sudden with no warning and our engine lost all power we almost got killed by a semi my husband had to put the car in neutral to restart it and then it would only go about 40 mph, the RPM were between 4 and 5 going 30 mph, I took my car to valley Ford of Columbus and they told me it was some kind of valve and it was going to take 2 months for the part to come in, I told valley Ford we almost got killed and this car is a death trap, they didn't care at all they made me drive this car for 2 months with the motor shutting down on me We almost got killed 3 times from semi almost killing us, so finally after 2 months valley ford called and said the valve came in, we took it in and with in 3 minutes of leaving valley Ford we got on the freeway ramp and as soon as we switched lanes the car lost power again. A semi almost hit us from behind, I called valley Ford immediately and calab said oh maybe it's your transmission they didn't care at all, I contacted the Ford complaint department and for months I was talking on the phone and emailing with jamarian tate at Ford and then out of no where she completely abanded me, no response to phone calls or emails, I'm paying 480.00 a month for a car that terrifies myself my husband and our son, it's so bad that we all have major anxiety now, I mean we've had 3 near death experiences in this car, Ford should have gave me a different car due to the recall product liability I mean my motor shutting down and loosing brakes is not good Ford put a temporary fix on my car so it's going to happen again, we are afraid every time we get in the car, we just lost our 5 Year old Grand daughter to a rare brain cancer, and we can't even pick any of the other 8 Grand kids in the car were scared to death every day and ford could care less, they were supposed to have this part months ago and they still don't, and now we Don't trust this car at all. We need help.

NHTSA ODI 11691325

The affected component is the oil pump drive belt and belt tensioner. This defect can cause loss of oil pressure and engine failure. Parts for the official recall remedy have not been made available by Ford or its dealers. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This failure poses a serious safety risk. Loss of oil pressure or engine seizure can occur suddenly, causing the vehicle to stall while driving. This results in loss of motive power and potentially reduced braking assistance, placing myself, passengers, and other motorists at risk of a crash. Confirmation by Dealer/Service Center: The dealer confirmed the recall but stated that the parts remain unavailable and no final remedy is being offered at this time. Interim remedies are inadequate, leaving me to continue driving an unsafe vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11690087

At 40,000 Miles over a period of a few weeks, the turbocharger began to fail. This was covered under the Standard 50k Powertrain Warranty. At 45,000 Miles, the Alternator began to fail. This is not covered under Powertrain. At this rate, I fear that there will be more issues before 60k Miles

NHTSA ODI 11688988

I had the recall fixed for the oil pump drive belt tensioner on 1.0L engine. Dealership fixed it but they told me my torque converter was damaged. I read and looked up that most dealers fixed those because it affected the torque converter. But the dealership told me they would not fix it unless I pay $4789. I told them about the o the people said the recall also damaged the torque converter. But they told me no it didn’t. I’m army affiliated and I PCs to Texas and I’m in Georgia now and I’m scared it may break down while driving down there.

NHTSA ODI 11687541